Wide angle solid cone spray nozzle capable of handling slurry flow

ABSTRACT

A wide angle solid cone spray nozzle capable of handling flurry flow. Slurry is introduced into the nozzle tangentially at the inlet end to give the flow a spinning effect. A baffle in the nozzle increases the spinning effect. The slurry is discharged through a venturi having a flaring bell mouth outlet.

United States Patent Smith May 30, 1972 [54] WIDE ANGLE SOLID CONE SPRAY NOZZLE CAPABLE OF HANDLING SLURRY FLOW Inventor:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

Int. Cl Field of Search ..239/463, 466, 468, 486, 487,

Donald A. Smith, Warehouse Point, Conn,

Combustion Englneerlng, Inc., Windsor, Conn.

Dec. 30, 1970 US. Cl ..239/463, 239/468, 239/487,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1890 Smith ..239/487 7/1890 Reilly... .....239/487 8/1953 Kinney ..239/487 zz mlwl 807,993 1/1937 France ..239/468 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, J r.

Assistant Examiner- Edwin D. Grant ArrorneyCarlton Fv Bryant, Eldon H. Luther. Robert L. 01- son, John F. Carney, Richard H. Berneike and Lawrence Pv Kessler l 57 l ABS! RACT A wide angle solid cone spray nozzle capable of handling flurry flow. Slurry is introduced into the nozzle tangentially at the inlet end to give the flow a spinning effect. A bafile in the nozzle increases the spinning effect. The slurry is discharged through a venturi having a flaring bell mouth outlet.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED MAY 30 I972 FIG 2 INVENTOR DONALD A. SMITH ATTORNEY WIDE ANGLE SOLID CONE SPRAY NOZZLE CAPABLE OF HANDLING SLURRY FLOW BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wide angle solid cone spray noules have been in use for some time. They are useful wherever a spray is desired to cover a given area with a uniform particle distribution. Prior art nozzles of this type utilize a baffle or spinning vane for causing rotational flow within the nozzle for permitting the wide angle solid cone spray. In order to cause the high degree of rotation necessary, these prior art baffles had a very small flow area. This causes the undesirable effects of l high pressure drop; and (2) limiting the use to slurries having small s zed solid particles, in order to prevent plugging of the bafi'le.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The wide angle solid cone spray nozzle of my invention has a tangential introduction of slurry into the nozzle tube to give the slurry an initial spinning effect. The rotational forces are increased by use of a baffle positioned downstream of the tangential inlet. The slurry is discharged through a venturi having a flaring bell mouth outlet. The free flow area of the baflle is at least as great as the flow area of the venturi, in order to decrease the pressure drop and prevent plugging of the baffle passageway.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partial sectional side view of a wide angle solid cone spray nozzle constructed in accordance with the inventron.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the baffle means taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the nozzle outlet, including the battle means, shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Looking now to the drawings, I designates a wide angle solid cone spray nozzle. Slurry is introduced into the longitudinal tubular portion 12 by means ofa tangential inlet 14. The slurry thus flows along the tubular portion 12 in a spinning or rotational flow pattern until it encounters the fixed baffle member of spinning vane 16. In passing through baffle 16, the slurry is subjected to an additional spinning effect. The slurry is discharged from the nozzle through a venturi I8, and a bell mouthed outlet 20. The discharged slurry is in the form of a wide angle cone spray 22, wherein the flow distribution is uniform throughout the entire area of the pattern.

The baffle 16 includes an angular upper member having an apex 24, and two arm portions 26 and 28. These arms 26 and 28 are positioned 180 apart, as shown in FIG. 2. A planar vane 30 is attached to and extends downwardly from arm 26, at an angle of 3040 to a plane transverse to the axis of tubular pOrtiOn l2. Vane 30 has an outer arcuate edge 32 which substantially conforms to the inner wall of tubular member 12. The vane 30 extends through approximately a 180 are, as shown in FIG. 2. The vane has a rectangular shape opening 34 formed by its inner edge.

Extending from the other arm 28 of the angular member is a vane 36. This vane is identical in all respects to vane 30, with the exception that it extends in an arcuate direction opposite to vane 30, so that the two vanes together almost completely encompass a 360 arc. Thus all of the rotating slurry flow will encounter one or the other of the vanes 30, 36. The ends 38, 40 of the vanes are oriented such that they are the first portions encountered by the rotational slurry flow. Thus an additional spinning effect is given to the flurry in passing through the baffle I6.

In passing through the restrictive venturi 18, the flow velocity is greatly increased, thus accelerating the rotational flow pattern. The flaring bell mouth outlet 20 has an included angle which corresponds to the desired spray cone angle. Thus if a I spray cone is desired, the bell mouth 20 should have an included angle of I 10.

The rectangular openings 34, 42 in the vanes 30, 36 should be sufficiently large that the free flow area through the baffle is as great if not greater than the flow area of venturi I8. This is made possible in the present invention while still obtaining the high rotational flow required to obtain a stable, wide angle solid cone spray pattern, by using the spinning baffle 16 in combination with the tangential inlet 14. This combination together gives the slurry flow the required degree of rotation necessary for a good spray pattern.

By having a free flow area through baffle 16 as large if not larger than the flow area of venturi 18, two distinct advantages are obtained. First, the pressure drop is reduced considerably. Secondly, the size of the solid particles carried in the slurry is limited only by the size of the venturi opening I8.

A further explanation of the manner in which the nozzle of the present invention operates is set forth below. The liquid or slurry enters a spin chamber in the nozzle through tangential opening 14. At this point a rotational flow pattern similar to that found in a tornado is formed with most of its flow energy concentrated in the peripheral region. Next, this rotational pattern is constricted into the tubular member 12 of the nozzle where flow pattern uniformity is improved by acceleration. As the slurry passes through the tubular member 12 friction with the walls of this member modify the rotation pattern causing a momentum transfer towards the central axis of the tubular member thus reducing the peripheral velocities. The flow next enters the baffle l6 impinging on the edge of the arcuate members 30 and 36. These members deflect a further portion of the flow energy inward toward the central axis. The flow next impinges on the angular portion of the baffle, member 24, 26, 28. This portion of the baffle further improves the flow pattern and fixes the helical shape of the flow. At this point the flow profile resembles that of a solid body of rotation.

Leaving the baffle the flow is constricted further through the venturi 18, where the velocity is markedly increased to enhance atomization of the spray on expansion.

Finally the slurry is allowed to expand into the bell mouth 20 where the spray angle and cone shape is established by employing the Coanda effect (the ability of a flowing fluid to at tach to a surface). The flow expands through the bell mouth 20 attaching itself to the walls of the bell and forms a solid cone spray pattern. At the end of the bell mouth a sharp geometrical discontinuity is provided to insure a definite line of flow detachment, therefore creating a stable well defined circular cone.

What is claimed is:

I. A nozzle capable of handling slurry and which has a wide angle solid cone spray discharge, including a longitudinal tubular member having an inlet which introduces slurry into the tubular member tangentially thus giving the slurry an initial spinning effect having a bell mouth outlet through which the slurry is discharged from the nozzle, baffle means located in the tubular member for subjecting the slurry to an additional spinning effect as it passes therethrough, said baffle means having an angular shaped member, the apex of which is located on the axis of the tubular member and the arms extending away from the outlet end to points closely adjacent the inner wall of the tubular member approximately apart, a first planar vane attached to the end of one of the arms of the angular shaped member, said first vane extending at an angle of 3040 to a plane transverse to the axis of the tubular member in a direction away from the apex and having an outer arcuate edge which substantially conforms to the inner wall of the tubular member throughout approximately 180 and an inner edge spaced radially inwardly of the outer surface and defining a rectangular shaped opening surrounded on three sides by the first vane, a second planar vane attached to the end of the other arm of the angular shaped member, said second vane extending at an angle of 3040 to a plane transverse to the axis of the tubular member in a direction away from the apex and having an outer arcuate edge which substantially conforms to the inner wall of the tubular member throughout approximately 180 in a direction opposite to that of the first vane, said second vane having an inner edge spaced 

1. A nozzle capable of handling slurry and which has a wide angle solid cone spray discharge, including a longitudinal tubular member having an inlet which introduces slurry into the tubular member tangentially thus giving the slurry an initial spinning effect having a bell mouth outlet through which the slurry is discharged from the nozzle, baffle means located in the tubular member for subjecting the slurry to an additional spinning effect as it passes therethrough, said baffle means having an angular shaped member, the apex of which is located on the axis of the tubular member and the arms extending away from the outlet end to points closely adjacent the inner wall of the tubular member approximately 180* apart, a first planar vane attached to the end of one of the arms of the angular shaped member, said first vane extending at an angle of 30*-40* to a plane transverse to the axis of the tubular member in a direction away from the apex and having an outer arcuate edge which substantially conforms to the inner wall of the tubular member throughout approximately 180* and an inner edge spaced radially inwardly of the outer surface and defining a rectangular shaped opening surrounded on three sides by the first vane, a second planar vane attached to the end of the other arm of the angular shaped member, said second vane extending at an angle of 30*-40* to a plane transverse to the axis of the tubular member in a direction away from the apex and having an outer arcuate edge which substantially conforms to the inner wall of the tubular member throughout approximately 180* in a direction opposite to that of the first vane, said second vane having an inner edge spaced radially inwardly of the outer surface and defining a rectangular shaped opening surrounded on three sides by the second vane, the first and second vanes being positioned within the tubular member such that the spinning slurry encounters the free ends of the first and second vanes first, the free flow area through the baffle means being at least as great as the flow area of the venturi, so that solid particles do not lodge within the baffle means, causing plugging thereof. 